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Hopeful · 03-14-2007, 07:32 PM

Maryls,

Here is a link to a recent article which states that Herceptin is cost effective, given the improved survival time of patients: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/553595

Here is a pertinent excerpt:

The 2 studies differed in 2 key areas — the duration of trastuzumab's benefit and the annual risk for systemic recurrence. In the study led by Nicola Lucio Liberato, MD, from the Azienda Ospedaliera della Provincia di Pavia, Ospedale Civile, Italy, they assumed that the benefit of trastuzumab would persist only for 5 years — a notion that is well supported by the Early Breast Cancer Trialists' Meta-Analysis.

In contrast, in the study led by Allison Kurian, MD, from the Veterans' Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System and Center for Primary Care and Outcomes Research at Stanford University, in California, they assumed a one-third decline in benefit in years 3 to 5 and an additional but persistent benefit from years 6 to 10. In their editorial, Drs. Hillner and Smith call these numbers "excessively optimistic." The reports also differed slightly in the risk for systemic recurrences beyond 5 years, but this had little impact on the results.

Hope this information is useful.

Hopeful

03-14-2007, 07:32 PM	#5
Hopeful Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 3,380	Maryls, Here is a link to a recent article which states that Herceptin is cost effective, given the improved survival time of patients: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/553595 Here is a pertinent excerpt: The 2 studies differed in 2 key areas — the duration of trastuzumab's benefit<sup> </sup>and the annual risk for systemic recurrence. In the study led by Nicola Lucio Liberato, MD, from the Azienda Ospedaliera della Provincia di Pavia, Ospedale Civile, Italy, they assumed that the benefit of trastuzumab would persist<sup> </sup>only for 5 years — a notion that is well supported by the Early Breast Cancer<sup> </sup>Trialists' Meta-Analysis. In contrast, in the study led by Allison Kurian, MD, from the Veterans' Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System and Center for Primary Care and Outcomes Research at Stanford University, in California, they assumed a one-third decline in benefit in years 3 to 5 and<sup> </sup>an additional but persistent benefit from years 6 to 10. In their editorial, Drs. Hillner and Smith call these numbers "excessively optimistic." The reports also differed slightly<sup> </sup>in the risk for systemic recurrences beyond 5 years, but this<sup> </sup>had little impact on the results. Hope this information is useful. Hopeful<sup> </sup>